


The Demons In Our Dreams

by amethystdragonnight



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, allura has bad dreams, shallura - Freeform, tbh so does shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 13:25:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15120338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amethystdragonnight/pseuds/amethystdragonnight
Summary: Season 6 spoilers// Ever since the castle ship blew up, Allura's nightmares won't let her sleep. She spends the nights alone, thoughts of the past clouding her mind, until one night when the newly resurrected Black Paladin speaks with her, and speaks some words she needs to hear.





	The Demons In Our Dreams

Allura tried to be strong, but sometimes even her best efforts weren’t enough to stop the nightmares. She’d been having them more often lately, ever since the castle ship had been destroyed. That was the last part of her home. As the team hopped from planet to planet on their way to Earth, she spent most nights perched on top of her lion’s paw, looking out at the stars, as she was now. Her hands still shook a little from the dream she’d woken from, but she forced her breaths to be smooth and even. She was the “heart of Voltron”, as Lance had called her, the leader of the Coalition. She had an image to maintain. But on these lonely, sleepless nights, she could relax the walls she kept up around herself, and with each breath she felt another brick fall until she was just herself again, just Allura. 

Footsteps behind her signaled the arrival of company. She frowned. Who would be up so late? 

“Princess?” Shiro’s voice came from her left, and Allura turned as he walked up to her, placing a hand on Blue’s paw. “What are you doing up?” 

Allura bit her lip and turned away. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” 

“Dodging the question, I see.” Shiro chuckled, then sighed. He stepped away, following her gaze to the stars. “Don’t worry,” he said in a soft voice. “I couldn’t sleep either.” 

Allura gazed at him for a moment. She and the team had gotten the real Shiro back awhile ago now, but still things weren’t quite back to normal for her. Lately, she found herself looking away when their eyes met, or feeling her heart race whenever he touched her, even just a brush of his shoulder passing by. Maybe it was his cloud-white hair, or his still missing arm, but she wasn’t quite the same with him. 

Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she knew why. She had an enormous crush on the man.

But she couldn’t shake the nightmares from her mind. Still her hands were not quite steady, still her breath was a touch too erratic. Apparently Shiro noticed, as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Princess?” He asked, tilting his head. “You’re sure you’re all right?” His gaze was warm, and Allura found herself wanting to tell him everything. All about these nights spent alone, desperately trying to pull herself together against the memories trying to break her. 

And yet she couldn’t. Her reputation always kept her from revealing her secrets, and it would do the same now. She was a diplomat. She had to keep…whatever this was she had. Respect, leadership. Would Shiro think less of her if he knew what she faced every night? How it weakened her? So she chose silence. 

But as Shiro looked at her, she felt her resolve crumbling. How could she say no to eyes like that? The man who had had her back time after time the past few years, always pushing her to be more, to face the obstacles. She sighed, and said, 

“I’ve been having dreams.” 

Shiro’s eyes softened, and he moved to sit on the paw beside her. He nodded and said, 

“Me too.” 

She looked up at his words, her lips parting. He shrugged and said, “Hey, it’s true. Every night.” He let out a deep sigh, gaze focused somewhere far away, and his voice gains a haunted tone. “It’s always the same. I’m—“ He cut himself off. “Sorry, Princess. You probably don’t want to hear about it.” He looked away. 

Allura put her hand on his shoulder. He blinked and made eye contact with her. 

“Please, Shiro,” she said in a soft voice. “You don’t have to pretend in front of me. Just tell me what’s bothering you.” She tried to give him her best smile, though in her head she called herself a hypocrite. 

He nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair before continuing. 

“I’m a prisoner again. They’re making me fight, but then when I win, they take my arm. It’s…” He winced, and muttered, “It hurts. It hurts so much.” He took a shaking breath. “And I’m dying. Over, and over again. My body disappears, and I don’t know where I am. I see the clone with you all, fighting you. Hurting you. I’m fighting Keith.” His brow lowered. “And I feel so guilty.” 

Allura leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. She’d give anything to take Shiro’s pain from him, take it so far away it could never haunt him again. But that was foolish. She could only console him with words. 

“I’m so sorry, Shiro,” she said. “None of this should have ever happened to you. I can’t take your pain from you, but…” She looked up and met his eyes. “I want to help.”   
He let out a breath, closing his eyes for a moment. 

“Thank you,” he said, and she smiled wide. “All right. Now you have to tell me what’s bothering you.” Allura quickly removed her head from his shoulder. She cleared her throat.   
“Oh. Well…” She tucked a curl behind her ear, avoiding his gaze. “I’m not sure I should.” 

“Why not?” Shiro said, tilting his head to the side. 

“I just…” She bowed her head, slumping. “Do you ever feel like you have this…this need to be strong, this guard you have to keep up. And you can’t let it down in front of anyone, because if you do…they might see what’s underneath isn’t as strong as they thought.” 

Shiro’s eyebrows drew together, and he drew in closer to her. “Princess, it’s okay. I get it. I feel like that too.” Without warning, he put his hand on hers. She gulped, and looked from their hands to his face and back a few times before taking a deep breath. 

“Well…” She began, her uncertainty showing in her small voice. She swallowed thickly. “I…” Shiro squeezed her hand, and she felt some of the tension begin to ease, enough to begin. “Every night, I see so many thing. I see the fall of Altea.” She shivered, the memory making her blood cold. “Father shoved me into a pod, but before that? Everything was burning. Alteans are screaming. And Zarkon kills them all, every—“ She stopped as her voice broke. “Every man, woman, and child.” She shook her head. “In my head I know there are living Alteans, but I still see the end of them all. Being alone is all I’ve known for so long, it’s hard to stop feeling that way.

“And Lotor.” She shook her head and chuckled, though there was no mirth in the sound, only bitterness. “Each night he kisses me and it feels good, then I feel the pain of his betrayal all over again. And I wake up feeling stupid. How could I have fallen for that?” Her eyes burned, and she wiped them. “All the mistakes I’ve made, all the things I didn’t see…” 

“Oh, Princess, I…” Shiro’s eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath. “I’m so sorry, I—“ 

“Don’t worry about it, Shiro,” she said. “It’s all right.” 

“No, it’s…it’s not. I’m so sorry. You should’t have to bear that alone.” He took a breath. “I’m sorry you have to struggle with that, Princess.”

“I wish the same for you.” She said gently, placing her other hand on his thigh. To lighten the mood, she smirked and said, “And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Allura?” 

Shiro chuckled. 

“Of course. Sorry, Allura.” Somehow, the way he said her name was different than the way anyone else said it, and it sent a light shiver through her. 

“Thank you, Shiro,” she said. She looked down at their still joined hands, and her pulse quickened. “I wish I could make things better for you.” She ran a finger over the back of his palm. 

“Me too,” he said. Allura lifted her head to find him already looking at her. She couldn’t help it— she stared at his lips. 

Apparently he noticed her attention and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her face reddened, but she met his gaze. She was a princess, she wasn’t about to back down now. Still her heart fluttered in her chest as she said, 

“Maybe there is a way we can help each other.” 

“Maybe,” Shiro said, squeezing her hand. 

“Shiro, may I—“ 

“Thought you’d never ask.” 

With that, she leaned in and kissed him. 

Allura smiled into the kiss; she couldn’t help it. She’d been waiting for this for a long time, after all. Months of staring from across the room, hoping for even the smallest touch had been agony. The memory of the time he’d held her hand on the bridge was still one of her favorites with the black paladin. And when she saved him from the Galra ship. Every concerned word the two had exchanged. Most recently, carrying his very soul in her body. And now she was finally kissing him. 

Shiro shifted so he faced her directly, placing an arm around her wait. She stuck her hands into his hair. Oh quiznak that felt good. He smiled against her lips as she played with his moon-white hair. She wished this could last forever. She hadn’t felt this good, this free, in months. 

Finally the kiss ended, as Allura knew it had to, leaving her in a considerably better mood than before. A pleasant rush filled her as she realized the nightmare no longer occupied her thoughts. 

Shiro on the other hand, was a different story. His face turned the deepest shade of red she’d ever seen, his eyes widening. He looked down hurriedly, and Allura threw back her head laughing. 

“Sorry, Shiro,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “But I’ve never seen you so flustered before.” 

He looked at her and grinned. 

“Would it be weird if I told you I’ve been hoping for that?” He asked. 

“Would it be weird if I told you I’ve been hoping the same thing?” 

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. For that moment, she felt incredible. It had been a long time since she’d laughed like this. Not since before Zarkon, Haggar, Lotor, before everything had gotten so messed up. She leaned against his shoulder as her giggles subsided. She sighed as she met his eyes, but to her surprise, her sigh turned into a yawn. 

“Sorry, Shiro,” she said. “I suppose I’m a bit more tired than I thought.” 

Shiro stroked her cheek with a thumb. “Don’t worry about it, Allura. Do you want to…” He held out an arm. Allura leaned her head into the crook of his neck, letting him drape his arm around her shoulder. 

“This is nice,” she said, voice soft. “Thank you.” 

“No problem,” Shiro said. “You know, we could try and sleep like this. What do you think?” 

Allura bit her lip. The nightmares might come back. Was she ready for that? She looked up at Shiro. His eyes were closing, his breath slowing. Her mouth curved up in a smile. Somehow, the bad dreams didn’t feel so bad if she woke up with Shiro. So she closed her eyes and let sleep come to her. 

-

“Hey Lance, get out of the shot!” Pidge shoved the tall boy aside, holding up her phone-like screen. 

“Fine.” He sighed. “Just wanted a good look.” He stepped aside, moping. 

When the members of Voltron had woken up and come out of their lions, the last thing they’d expected had been to find Shiro and Allura asleep outside the Blue lion, still sitting up, curled into each other like a couple. Pidge had immediately pulled out her phone, and now everyone was gathered around the sleeping duo, snapping as many pictures as they could before the two woke up. 

“So did you know, Coran?” Lance asked, poking the mustachioed man. Coran looked up. 

“Know what?” He asked. 

“That Shiro and Allura are…you know… a thing?” Lance knit his fingers together. 

Coran chuckled. “I certainly had my suspicions, if that’s what you mean. They are very close.” The man’s eyes softened. “In times of war, sometimes you need someone closer than a friend. They understand each other.” 

“Guess so,” Lance said. “What do you think, Hunk?” 

“Leave them alone, Lance,” Hunk said. “They’re both really tired.” He put a hand on Lance’s shoulder, but smiled. 

“Yeah, Lance said, gazing at the two again. “Yeah…I guess you’re right.”

The team let Allura and Shiro sleep for the rest of the day. When they awoke there were many flustered apologies, but no one really listened. After all, those two both deserved a day to rest.


End file.
